Calcutta High Court seeks affidavit from West Bengal government.

Calcutta High Court seeks affidavit as State says no decision yet on midday meal contract for ISKCON In a surprising turn of events, the Calcutta High Court has sought an affidavit from the West Bengal government on the midday meal contract for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The development comes as the State government claims that no decision has yet been made on engaging ISKCON to provide midday meals to students in government schools. The court’s order was passed on July 5, in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a local resident..

The PIL challenges the proposed engagement of ISKCON, citing the alleged attempt by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to impose vegetarianism on the state. The opposition parties have also raised concerns over the move, stating that it would unfairly favor one community over others. The State government, however, claims that its intention is purely altruistic and aimed at promoting nutritious food for students..

Lawyers representing the PIL petitioner claim that the State government’s move is a clear attempt to promote Hindu orthodoxy and restrict dietary options for students. They have asked the court to stay the implementation of the proposed midday meal contract, pending a final decision on the case. The PIL has been filed under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law..

The controversy began on June 22, when Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta announced in the State Budget that ISKCON would be involved in providing midday meals to students in government schools. The move was met with criticism from opposition parties, who claim that it is a direct attempt to impose BJP ideology on the state. The Congress and the Trinamool Congress have accused the government of trying to promote a particular brand of Hinduism..

A senior State government official has denied these allegations, stating that the decision to engage ISKCON was taken after a thorough evaluation of various options. We are committed to providing nutritious food to students, and ISKCON has a proven track record of serving high-quality meals in the past, the official said. However, the Congress has demanded that the contract be scrapped, claiming that it would create a food apartheid system in the state..

The opposition parties have also accused the government of failing to consult with other stakeholders, including representatives of non-ISKCON organizations that have been providing midday meals to students for years. The government is trying to shut out other organizations that have been doing this work for years, said a Congress party leader. This is a clear case of favoritism and crony capitalism..

However, the State government has maintained that the decision to engage ISKCON was taken after a detailed evaluation of various factors. We have chosen ISKCON based on its expertise and track record of serving high-quality meals, the official said. The government has also claimed that the food served by ISKCON would be completely compliant with nutritional standards set by the Centre..

The controversy has also sparked a heated debate on social media, with many netizens criticizing the State government for allegedly promoting a particular brand of Hinduism. This is a blatant attempt by the BJP to impose their ideology on the state, said a Twitter user. We should not allow this to happen..

However, others have defended the State government’s decision, stating that ISKCON is a well-established organization with a strong track record of serving good food. The government should be praised for choosing ISKCON, said a Facebook user. They will do an excellent job of providing nutritious meals to students..

The ISKCON has also come out in support of the State government’s decision, stating that it is committed to serving high-quality meals to students. We are proud to be associated with the State government’s midday meal scheme, said an ISKCON spokesperson. We will do our best to provide nutritious food to students..

Meanwhile, the State government has said that it will present the report of the evaluation committee in the next session of the State Assembly. The government has also stated that it will make the report public, so that the state’s citizens can see for themselves why ISKCON was chosen for the contract. The opposition parties have announced that they will continue to protest against the proposed engagement of ISKCON, until the decision is scrapped..

We will not let the government proceed with this ill-conceived plan, said a Congress party leader. It is unfair to students and to the people of this state. The PIL petitioner has also expressed disappointment over the State government’s decision to proceed with the contract despite the criticism it has faced..

I was hoping that the government would listen to the voices of the people and cancel the contract, said the petitioner. Instead, they have chosen to ignore us and push ahead with their ill-conceived plan. The case is likely to have a significant impact on the politics of the state in the run-up to the next Assembly elections..

The opposition parties have already announced that they will make the issue a major plank of their campaign in the coming months. Stay tuned for further developments on this story. Update (July 10): The next hearing in the Calcutta High Court on the PIL challenging the proposed engagement of ISKCON has been fixed for July 22..

The State government is expected to present its affidavit on the contract, and the court is likely to hear arguments from both sides before making a final decision on the case..